Fancy some DIY this long weekend? STOP

Despite what reality TV suggests, sometimes it’s actually cheaper to call an expert if you’re looking to do some home handy work, furniture restoration (cough, building it from IKEA) or just cleaning the gutters.

We all want to avoid this bathroom hazard. So when to pull in the experts?

When it requires an apprenticeship

Sure. You might be able to fix a leaky tap, but if your second floor bathroom is leaking through the roof or the electric lights are playing up, call an expert.

If the renovation requires a special permit or licence it’s also a good sign you’ll be better off with an expert.

In some cases doing your own plumbing or wiring is illegal.

Walls around you

Taking out a wall is a DIY demolition dream. Just make sure it’s not load bearing, and if you’ve never done this before, get a pro.

The roof over your head

If it’s to do with roofing be very sure you’ve got the skills or this is definitely best left to a licensed trades person.

The height itself is dangerous, and the cost of a mistake and subsequent damage of something as simple as a small leak makes it an area you do not want to get anything wrong.

Beyond cosmetic

If you need to paint a few rooms, go for it. But if the problem is more than surface deep, at least consult with the relevant pro before you go all in at Bunnings.

The project is too big

Most people are already working 40 hours a week. So adding a major building project onto that can be a recipe for disaster. Burning out halfway through a project could mean you end up having to hire a contractor for a similar price to what it would cost for the whole endeavour.